Module 3 : Issues encountered in a time of Crisis
A : A Typical Family under Atypical Pneumonia
Every Hong Kong citizen is going through a hard time coping with the threat of
Atypical Pneumonia. Here is the Chan family. Image you were one of them, what
would you do?
Role-play with four other classmates. The five of you make up the Chan family.
Background information：
Mr. Chan (Father): A senior official of the
Department of Health, HKSAR, living with
his wife and children in Shatin.
David (Eldest son): An officer in a bank. He
lives in Amoy Garden with his pregnant
wife.
Mrs. Chan (Mother): Housewife.
May (Daughter): A nurse at the Prince
of Wales Hospital, Shatin.
Tommy (Son): A secondary three
student in a Shatin school.
Case 1
Here is Tommy’s diary …
Diary
Diary
19th March (Wednesday)
The number of AP cases totals
150 today, most are said to be
in the Prince of Wales
Hospital. In my class, there
are three absentees. Several
of those who are present
cough rather severely.
Diary
25th March (Tuesday)
There seems to be no signs of
stopping. Today the city records
286 AP cases.
Almost 100
schoolmates do not go to school
today! Mom says I will have to
stop going to school myself if
there is no official suspension of
classes.
24th March (Monday)
The number of AP cases has risen to
260. It seems that the whole city
is panicking. Many schoolmates
are absent today. Even my class
mistress is on sick leave. I feel
scared whenever I pass by the
Prince of Wales Hospital.
Diary
27th March (Thursday)
Should I go to school or not?
Discussion:
1. If you were Tommy, would you go to school or not? Ask your
family to give their opinions. (Family members are reminded that
their opinions should be supported with reasons.)
Case 2
An unknown virus is spreading among the staff working in the Prince
of Wales Hospital. Nearly 80 people including medical staff (of which more than
20 were in the medical ward on the 8th floor) were indeed attacked by the
unknown virus. They are showing symptoms of fever and upper respiratory system
infection and one now is on sick leave. Three had to be confined in hospital. Two
have been confirmed to have contracted Atypical Pneumonia.
XX Post 12-3-2003
Daughter, many medical staff are infected.
You should take two weeks off and leave that
dangerous place. You know, you might pass on
the virus to us. I am so worried.
Mom, I am scared of being infected
too, but leaving will only increase the
workload of other staff. I really don’t
want to leave at this critical moment!
Discussion:
1. If you were May, what would you do? What factors would you take into
consideration?
2. If you were one of the family members, would you support May? Why?
3. If you were May, what would you do to make your family feel less worried?
Please be specific.
Case 3
By 17th March, more than 100 people are already confined to the Prince of Wales
Hospital because of Atypical Pneumonia. People living in Shatin are very worried.
The Chan family is having dinner while watching the news. The situation at the
Prince of Wales Hospital makes the headline. Everyone is paying close attention.
The Secretary of Health, Welfare and Food Bureau,
E.K. Yeoh, first admitted the number of Atypical
Pneumonia cases in Hong Kong was shocking with
most of them occurring at the Prince of Wales Hospital
(PWH). Some doctors in PWH said it was the main
source of the virus. They suggested the proper way
was to close the Hospital temporarily in order to stop
the spread of the virus. The Chairman of the
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Joseph
Sung, said it would be easier to treat the cases by
closing the Hospital but this does not mean the
problem is solved.
Susanna Chu, XXX News
After watching the news report, different opinions are expressed by the Chan family
members about the AP issue. One even suggests sending a letter to the District
Board and demand the Prince of Wales Hospital to stop its services completely.
Discussion:
1. If you were a member of the Chan family, do you think the Prince of
Wales Hospital should stop its services completely? (Think about the
following issues)

What good will it do if the Prince of Wales Hospital closes?

What price has to be paid?

What about emergency cases? Where should the patients go?

Can the closure of the Prince of Wales Hospital effectively stop
the spread of diseases in the community?
2.
Case 4
At about 9 p.m. on 30th March, the Chan family is watching the news
report on the outbreak of Atypical Pneumonia at Amoy Garden. More
than 80 infected cases are reported, with 70% of them living in Block E.
The Government has announced that Block E would be isolated for 10
days. The Chan family is so worried because their eldest son, David, is
living in Block F and his wife is five-month pregnant. There would be
serious consequences on the unborn baby if one of the parents is infected.
Mrs. Chan intends to call his son. The doorbell suddenly rings. It is their
son and daughter-in-law with their luggage……
You are here? We are so
worried about you!
Mom and Dad, please let us stay here. We have nowhere to
go! The whole of Amoy Garden is filled with virus. We
are so scared. Block E will be isolated from tomorrow
onwards. I don’t know when it will be our turn! We will
lose our baby if we are infected…We don’t know what
to do. Please save our baby!
Discussion:
1. Do you think the Chan family should let David and his wife stay in
their flat? (Refer to the appendix)
2. What do they need to consider when making the decision?
Case 5
It is about eleven in the morning of 1st April. Only the mother (Mrs. Chan) and the
little brother (Tommy) are at home. The phone rings and Mrs. Chan picks up the
phone at once.
Hello! Aunt. You’d better hurry to the
supermarket to stock up. This morning, I am
told that Hong Kong will be declared an
infected port. Tomorrow, there would not be
any food coming into Hong Kong. If you
don’t stock up now, you would go without
food. Quick! I have to phone other friends.
Bye!!
Mrs. Chan is now very anxious and she calls her husband immediately.
Dear, your cousin Mary just said
that Hong Kong has become an
infected port. She told me to go to
the supermarket to stock up. What
should I do?
My dear, you need not be so
nervous. I do not think this is
official government
announcement. Don’t take the
rumor seriously.
Mary
Okay. Maybe I should
call May and David up
and see what they think
about it.
Discussion：
1. If you were Mrs. Chan, how would you check rumor?
2. As a member of the Chan family, what kind of advice you would give Mrs.
Chan?
3. What is likely to be Mrs. Chan’s final decision?
【Appendix】
Tips for Making Decisions
When we have to make decisions, we could use a series of steps to reach the
right decision. Let us now use Case 4 as an example to illustrate what steps one
should go through when making decisions.
Tips for Making Decisions (1)
Problems Identified
Shall we let David and his wife stay in our flat?
How to make decision?
Let them stay
Do not let them stay
What to Consider?
Pros
Cons
1. David and his wife 1.
could feel secure/
comfortable
2.
2.
••
••
••
••
•
Cons
Pros
1.
1.
2.
2.
We would ／would not let them stay in our flat.
Problem Identified
Step 1
Tips for Making Decision (2)
Shall we let David and his wife stay in our flat?
Alternatives
Step 2
Let them stay
Pros & Cons of each choice
Step 3
Pros ：
Pros ：
Pros ：
Cons ：
Cons ：
Cons ：
Step 4
Our Decision
Tips for Making Decision (3)
抉擇小錦囊 3
Problem : Shall we let David and his wife stay in our flat?
Decision
Factors for
consideration
A : Let them stay
B:
C:
1. Feasibility
（Is it easy to be carried out?）
【5 marks：easiest】
【1 mark：most difficult】
2. Pros
3. Cons
4. Possible Outcomes
Our final decision
We have decided to ________________________, it is because__________________________________.